Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Later by Stephen King

8 reviews

fkshg8465's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is the kind of Stephen King I like - a normal length novel 😂, a story that's easy to follow, and a really likeable narrator. Oh and I LOVED his relationship with the old professor. Only thing that still niggles at me was his parentage - like, was it really necessary to the story? I think not. 

Story begins with Jamie apologizing for using the word "later" too much, but I didn't notice. I also appreciate Stephen King always making sure to include a diverse character set (seems that's true of most of the books I'd read of his). Still working my nerve up to The Shining though!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

diane_matcha's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Great mix of thriller / horro

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and Dementia

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, and Incest

solnit_and_sebastian's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of King's mystery novels, Later breathes life into the "child sees dead people" horror trope, adding some creepy twists along the way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Child death, Drug abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, and Dementia

lakea's review

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Police brutality, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Incest

mooped_'s review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, and Vomit

Minor: Rape

sba2x's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

paulrichard's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Cursing and Mental illness

Minor: Incest, Vomit, and Kidnapping

house_of_hannah's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I did not want to put this book down ! I had actually been putting off reading it as the description felt "meh" to me, and I really am not a fan of the cover. Boy was I wrong ! 

This is told as if our MC, Jamie, is writing the story. He is 22, and is recounting the crazy and traumatic events of his childhood that resulted from his ability to see dead people, or ghosts. This style works so well, and had me completely engaged in the story. It was as if I was reading a story that a friend wrote. 

The timeline does jump around a bit, but it's not difficult to follow. The cast of characters are relevant, and they all have their own place in the story. None of them feel pointless. This book is the perfect length for the story it told. Any longer and it would have felt drawn out, or gotten dull.

Overall, this was a fun ride with some great tie-ins to King's other work (as usual). I definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a break from the bigger, denser reads.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Cancer, Incest, Rape, Torture, Vomit, and Classism